Gold Coast school took weeks to suspend 8yo accused of sexual assault

Concerns have been raised over the time it took a Gold Coast state school to suspend an eight-year-old boy accused of sexually assaulting his classmate.

The revelations were made public during a budget estimates hearing in Queensland Parliament.

The hearing was told the Department of Education became aware of the allegations that a boy had sexually assaulted another eight-year-old boy at the school in June but he was not suspended until Wednesday.

Shadow education spokesman Jarrod Bleijie told the hearing the alleged victim's mother feared the school was not taking action against the boy, and she eventually wrote to the Premier about a month after first raising the matter.

"The family believe that the Department of Education haven't sufficiently dealt with the issues they raised," he said.

'Full investigation underway'

Education director-general Tony Cook said staff at the school took immediate action to notify the department.

"Both the school and staff from the relevant regional office are working closely with the families involved," he said.

"School staff are required to report any instance of allegation of harm or suspected harm to relevant authorities as a matter of urgency.

"My understanding is the school undertook that immediately when that information came to hand to the school.

"Students and families have been offered guidance and counselling and ongoing support from the school, from the guidance officers involved and from the regional office."

Education Minister Grace Grace said a full investigation was underway.

"The school reported and took all necessary action to this matter," she said.

"These are eight-year-old children, they have to be handled sensitively and delicately, and the school is doing that and the area office is involved in this as well.

"They've had instructions from me that anything we need to do to assist this family must be done, any counselling service, any assistance, any outside help."

Minister Grace said she became aware of the matter earlier this week.

"My understanding is this was referred directly to the Department of Education and then the Education Department onto my office," she said.

"When the referral came and it was drawn to my attention I acted immediately on the day I was notified straight away.

"I don't even think time went past where this wasn't handled absolutely immediately for me to make sure every 't' was crossed and ever 'i' was dotted as far as any support and investigation into this matter."